shipman



J. H. SHIPMAN. LETTER FILE.

NO. 25,282. Patented Aug. 30, 1859.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

J. H. SHIPMAN, OF YORKVILLE, NEW YORK.

LETTER-FILE.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 25,282, dated August 30, 1859.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J. H. SHIPMAN, of Yorkville, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Letter-File; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which Figure 1 represents a transverse vertical section of my invention when the same is open and ready to receive a letter. Fig. 2 is a similar section of the same when it is closed. Fig. 3 is a plan or top view of the same, when open, as in Fig. 1.

Similar letters of reference in the three T figures indicate corresponding parts.

This invention consists 1n arranging opposite to the points which serve to retain the letters sliding, hinged guards that are turned up over the points when the letters are on, for the purpose of preventing the letters coming off when the letter file is handled.

To enable those skilled in the art to make and use my invention I will proceed to describe it.

A represents a metal back which has the shape of the back of a book. One edge, a, of this back is turned up, and this edge serves to retain two or more points, 6, which are riveted or otherwise firmly secured to the same. The length of these points depends upon the quantity of letters which it may be desired to file away, and they (the points) always exceed in length the width of the back, A, as clearly represented in the drawing. Said points are made of steel wire, which may be hardened if desired, and it may be taken very thin,

as by my arrangement of the movable hinged guards the difliculty which usually arises, when the points spring to one side or the other is entirely removed.

The edge, 0, of the back, A, opposite to the edge, a, and under the points, I), is curled up and it retains a wire, d, to which the guards, B, are hinged. Those places of the curled edge, 0, which are cut out in order to admit the guards, B, are twice or three times as wide as the guards, leaving them free to move in a longitudinal direction. The guards are provided with openings, -e, that fit over the points when the guards are turned up so that the letters placed on the points are retained and prevented coming off spontaneously.

The back, A, is secured in a cover, C, so as to give the whole a handsome appearance, and in order to protect the letters retained by the points.

hen a number of letters, one after the other, has been filed away on the points, 5, those points are very apt to spring on one side or on the other, and if the guards are rigid, or if the same have no longitudinal motion it is impossible to turn them up over the points. lVith my arrangement this difliculty is obviated, and the guards can be brought to fit over the points under all circumstances.

Vhat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

The arrangement of the movable hinged guards, B, in combination with the metal back, A, and points, 6, substantially as and for the purpose described.

J. H. SHIPMAN.

Witnesses 4 JAMES F. BUCKLEY,

W. HAUFF. 

